Life Ain't Always Beautiful
by demogirl60
Summary: *Deadliest Catch* Being born and raised in Dutch Harbor isn't easy. Aurora is as tough as they come. But can she still handle it when she loses someone she loves?


**Disclaimers: Well, this has been roaming around in my mind for quite some time and I am finally putting fingertip to keyboard. I have been wanting to do a Deadliest Catch fanfiction from the first time I watched the show. I know the story won't be perfect in all aspects so don't get too fired up. That's why it's called fiction. In my story the Elbow Room is a little different than the real one in Dutch. I am revamping it to fit how the story is in my mind. So don't get all cantankerous about how it isn't real. Everyone writes different and that's why fanfiction was created so we could get our ideas out there. I mean no disrespect to anyone at all. It's just how my warped mind works sometimes. I own nothing but the obvious characters. If a boat name is real then it is a coincidence. I don't know any of the boat names except the ones on the show. The rest is history.**

Aurora Jackson drank the rest of her coffee before she headed downstairs to the Elbow Room to begin preparations for the day ahead. She ran a full fledged restaurant with a bar. It was real wild at times because it was the main stop for the fisherman who frequented Dutch Harbor throughout the year. After her father died Aurora quit college to come back home to Dutch. Her father was a crab boat captain and gone down with his ship while she was away at school. For some crazy reason she had paid off her college debts and then took the rest of her money and bought the Elbow Room. Oh, and a plum crazy purple dodge diesel pickup. Aurora loved that pickup. But anyway, she was born in Dutch Harbor to a mom that had abandoned her at the hospital while her father was out fishing, and to this day has no idea who she is. The industry around Dutch was in her blood and would never leave.

As Aurora headed for the door that lead downstairs her eye always caught the picture of her father and older brother William as she left. That was the last picture she had of her father. She missed him but he died doing what he loved and crab fishing was his life. As he would always tell her and others, "Don't worry about me dammit!", or"Jesus H, quit your bitching and do your damn job!" There were many times in her life that she ran off her dads words.

It was eight-o'clock in the morning and as the lights flipped on and the room came to view, a pounding on the front door caught Aurora's attention. It was her older brother by five years, William. She unlocked the door and opened so he could come in out of the weather. The fleet was preparing their boats for the upcoming king crab season and it was snowing. Aurora stepped back and looked at her brother. Water was running off him and pooling on the floor. "You take another step farther and I'll have your hide." Aurora liked to keep the place halfway clean but sometimes it was a losing battle. She threw her brother a couple of towels so she wouldn't have to mop the place again. "How is the boat coming?"

"Good. We are loading pots but I took a breather and decided on some breakfast first." Will was the main deckhand on_ FV Northern Light_. He was a miniature version of their father. He lived to be out on the Bering Sea fishing. "We will be leaving in the next day or so."

Aurora's heart skipped a beat every time she watched her brother and all her friends leave port. She knew just how dangerous their job was. It really hurt that she never got to say goodbye to her dad. He never made it home. Will was the only person she had left as far as blood family went. Her extended family was basically everyone that came through the doors of the Elbow Room.

Will plopped down on a stool at the bar and rested his chin in his hands. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he watched his baby sister scramble him a plate of eggs. Aurora slid the eggs down the bar to her brother and worked around the room while Will ate. Aurora spent most of the morning prepping the room for the rest of the day. She opened at noon but was open until midnight. She sold most of her food in the afternoon and the booze in the evening and at night. It was a wild and crazy place at times and she had thrown her fair share of fishermen out on their asses but for some reason, she wouldn't give it up for the world.

"Well, thanks for the grub. I'm headed back to the docks." Will washed and put away his plate because he knew if he didn't clean up after himself Aurora was going to kick his ass for sure. She told him many times that she was not a maid and he could clean up after himself. A little sister maybe, but she was a little firecracker sometimes.

"Ok, stop back by when your finished." Aurora said over her shoulder as she put tables down on the floors.

"I'll try." Will waved as he walked back out the door and back down to the docks.

After Aurora had gotten everything ready for the Elbow room to open, she locked the door behind her and headed for the docks. If she didn't lock the door someone would for sure go in and raid all the liquor she had in the bar. Lord knows she wouldn't want the fishermen running ramped all over after a beer run. The snow was falling at a fast pace, so she pulled her hood up over her head and walked briskly. She was also carrying a bag of supplies one of the captains had requested. Her pace was suddenly halted when a snowball met her shoulder and splattered up into her face. Aurora whipped her hood down, spit out snow and turned quickly to the left. She looked at the name of the boat she was standing next to and it was the _Time Bandit_. Without even seeing a face she could hear the laugh. Johnathan Hillstrand had his head stuck out the wheelhouse window laughing his butt off.

"Payback is a bitch Hillstrand!" Aurora shouted up at Johnathan. "I know where you end up for drinks at the end of the day!"

"I look forward to it!" Johnathan winked at Aurora and disappeared back into the wheelhouse.

Johnathan Hillstrand had been one of her best friends for as long as she could remember. Although he was a few years older than Aurora, they had practically grown up around the crab fishing business. When Aurora's father had died, he had been the one that got her through it. He was the one that she yelled at, his shoulder she cried on and shared funny stories about her dad and what a hard ass he could be.

After tugging her hood back into place over her head, she searched for the _FV Wizard_. She watched as Crosby Leveen crawled back and forth on the crab pots chaining them down. Aurora had been dating Crosby for almost a year and he was also her brother Will's best friend. Crosby had the craziest head of curly hair she had ever seen on a guy. She harassed him about it all time because her hair was pin straight, without a single wave. Aurora looked up at the massive stack of pots and yelled up, "Delivery for Captain Keith!"

Crosby stop what he was doing and looked down. Aurora was standing down on the walk with a sack in her arms waving up at him. "Hey! Be down in a second!"

Aurora shifted the sack into her other arm and walked down to meet Crosby as he jumped down from the boat. Crosby was a tall man. She usually had to stand on her tiptoes to even attempt to give him a kiss.

"Captain Keith will be happy to see this. Then he will have his Cup O Noodles cup to use as a spittoon."

Aurora made a face. "Yuck."

"We don't take off until he has that damn cup."

Aurora grinned,"So maybe I'll just hide the noodles, and lock you in the room upstairs above the Elbow Room."

"You wish. All of our butts would be in a sling if he doesn't haven't."

"It was worth a try anyway."

Crosby leaned down and kissed Aurora. "I'd let you lock me away."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah." Crosby kissed her and then it was cut short.

"Leveen! Did you get the cup?" Captain Keith was leaning out the wheelhouse.

"Yes sir. Right here." Crosby held up the sack for Keith to see.

"Good. Get your ass back on those pots and quit making out with Aurora." Keith went in and shut the door behind him.

Aurora was smiling at Crosby. "Yeah. Get your ass back on those pots. You can make out with me later." She watched Crosby climb back on the boat and deliver the Captain his much cherished spit cup, which gave Aurora the shivers. In a bad way.

By the time night rolled around, the Elbow Room was hopping. The stereo was blasting out a loud rock tune, which it's lyrics were muted because of the noise of the patrons. When Blake Painter walked in he could hardly hear himself think. He wove his way to the bar and swivelled onto a stood next to the _Wizard_'s deckhand Crosby Leveen.

"Hey Leveen, how's going?"

"Not too bad. And you?" Crosby took a pull from his beer and set it back down.

"Can't complain." Blake's eyes followed the bartender with the long straight dark hair. Damn, Aurora hadn't changed a bit. Still gorgeous. "Nice scenery." Blake raised his eyes and nodded in Aurora's direction.

Crosby silently sneered at Blake. He knew what Blake had done to Aurora. Let's just say that Blake's boat docked into way too many ports. The bad thing. Aurora found out. The other thing. Blake had no idea that he was dating Aurora. So, Crosby played along, nodding. "Beautiful scenery."

"Wish I was still seeing her."

Crosby smiled into his beer again. "Your not huh?"

"Nope. She found out I had another girl somewhere else. She threatened to nut me and used them as bait in a crab pot."

Crosby couldn't help but laugh out loud. That sounded just like Aurora. She didn't take shit off of anyone. "Damn. That sucks."

"Yeah. I hear she's dating someone else. A_ deckhand _from another boat."

Crosby shook his head. "A deckhand? Damn. Thought she only went for the Captain type."

"Me too." Blake watched as Aurora pulled on the tap and filled another glass. "I'd like to meet the deckhand that could actually get Aurora to date him." Blake scoffed and then turned to a smiling Crosby.

"You're looking at him." But the smile had quickly went to a glare.

Blake smirked. "Damn. It's you? Never would have pictured it."

"Why, because I don't weasel around on her at every dock?"

"Watch it Levine." Blake turned on his stool and stood up.

"What in the hell are you going to do about it?" Crosby stood with Blake and looked down at him.

Both guys stopped when they heard a fist hit the bar and the woman that went with the fist. "_Both_ of you better watch it. Or you two will have your asses thrown out on the sidewalk. I don't put up with that crap in here." Aurora put both hands on the bar and glared at both guys. "If you guys have something to throw punches about go outside and do it."

"Sorry Aurora." Crosby finished off his beer and set the empty bottle aside. Aurora shook her head at both of them and walked back down the bar. Blake got up and walked into the crowd and disappeared.

Crosby stayed until he and Aurora were the last ones in the room. He was leaving the next day and wanted to spend a little time with her. He wouldn't see much of her before they left. After going around and picking up beer bottles and glasses for her Crosby joined her behind the bar. Aurora seen Crosby come behind the bar so she threw a towel at him and hit him in the face with it. "Hey now."

Aurora set a dry glass on the shelf. "I never knew you for the fighting type?"

Crosby chuckled. "Me either." He leaned over her and set a glass down. "I was defending your honor you know?"

Aurora rolled her eyes and wrinkled her nose at him, teasing him sarcastically. "Oh and you are _such_ a badass." She couldn't help but laugh.

Crosby raised his eyebrows at her. "You think it's funny?"

Aurora nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah I do."

"Really?" Crosby dropped his towel on the counter and grabbed Aurora around the waste.

Aurora squealed loudly when Crosby hoisted her up on the counter. That was the only time she could look him in the eyes. "That's not fair."

"I think it is." Crosby kissed her before Aurora could protest.

Aurora snaked her fingers through the mass of Crosby's hair and pulled him close. Well, Aurora thought, the glasses would still be there later.

Will finished up tying down pot and gathering a few extra supplies for the boat and made his way down the dock towards the _Wizard_. "Hey Crosby!"

Crosby was handing bait and heard his name called. He looked down and seen his friend standing on the walk. "Yeah?"

"Got a few minutes?"

"Sure."

Will waited for Crosby to jump down and they turned down towards the end of the dock. "We were getting ready to cast off and I thought I would tell you goodbye."

Crosby frowned. "You never tell anyone goodbye. What the hell is going on?"

Will smiled a half smile. "I don't know, I just got a feeling is all."

"Will, listen to me. Stop with this feeling you've got ok?" Crosby turned to look his friend in the eye.

"Sorry. It's just something I feel."

Crosby shrugged and looked out to the sea. "You tell Aurora this _feeling_?"

"No. I talked to her a little while ago." Will let out a deep breath. "Make sure she's ok if something happens."

"Will—"

"I mean it Crosby. Take care of her for me will you?" Will insisted.

Crosby smirked at Will. "Might be easier crab fishing you know? The Bering Sea and Aurora have about the same temper."

Will laughed out loud in agreement. "True. Very true." He stuck his hand out to Crosby and Crosby shook it. They walked back to the _Wizard_ so Crosby could finish stocking the bait. He didn't like the way Will had talked. It made him feel real uneasy. Crosby just hoped like hell it turned out to be nothing more than a feeling.

Aurora stood and watched the activity around the docks. Men were rushing around gathering the last of the supplies, securing pots. A person could hear Captains yelling at the crew that they were behind and that they were burning daylight. The Elbow Room was closed for the day because of the boats leaving, so Aurora went around helping with various things and talking to friends.

"Hey Johnathan!" Aurora hollered over the noise. He waived at her from where he was standing on the dock. She walked over to him.

"What are you up to?" John wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Not much. Same 'ol same 'ol. Nothing about this changes you know." Aurora watched the men work to prepare the boats for a very dangerous trip. "It just doesn't get any easier watching all of you guys leave is all."

Johnathan gave Aurora's shoulder a quick squeeze. He understood her feelings because it was hard to think about someone not coming back. Like her dad. "It will be fine. We'll be back before you know it."

"I hope so." Aurora squinted into the sun, trying to keep her mood up. "Do you guys need anything else before you leave. I heard the grocery store ran out of eggs." Aurora grinned up at the smirk on Johnathan's face.

"We eat a lot of eggs."

"There shouldn't be that many left after you get done hucking them at the other boats."

"We wouldn't do something like that would we?"

Aurora leaned back and shook her head at the look that Johnathan had on his face. "Yeah right." Aurora smiled outright at right. "Well I'm going to head down to Wills boat and see him off."

"Ok. Tell him hi and bye for me ok?"

"I will." Aurora shoved her hands in her pocket and turned away. "Hey Jon?"

"Yeah?"

"Watch out for the flying hooks." Aurora went trotting down the dock as another snowball flew over her head. The last thing she heard was Johnathan yell a playful obscenity and laugh loud enough the whole shipyard could hear it. Aurora was got to Wills boat just before he was getting on the boat. "Bring back a shit load of crab!"

"Count on that little sis!"

"Be safe Will!" Aurora watched as Will pulled the line and the boat was slowly leaving the harbor. Will blew her a kiss and then waved his hat in the air. He had done that as long as she could remember, so she blew him one back and watched the boat go out to sea.

Aurora wiped a tear from her cheek as she turned to see Crosby off. He was standing on the dock with his arms crossed on his chest smirking at her. "I hope I get more than you blowing me a kiss."

"I already gave you more than that." Aurora wrapped her arms around Crosby's neck.

"Yeah. Don't forget to get that piece of felt on the pool table fixed."

Aurora's felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "Shut up."

Crosby grinned at her. "Wasn't my fault."

"Yeah right." Aurora brought Crosby in her a long kiss. It would be a while before she could see him again, let alone kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Come back to me in one piece alright?"

"You know me. Don't worry." Crosby reached down and picked Aurora up and held her tight.

"Dammit LeVeen! If I have to yell at you one more time, I'm going to leave your ass here!" Captain Keith yelled out the wheelhouse door. Aurora couldn't help but get a laugh in.

Crosby smiled and dropped Aurora back to her feet. "See you soon."

Aurora blinked tears away. She couldn't help but tear up when everyone left. Aurora stood on the dock until Crosby and everyone else was a small speck on the water.

Two long months later.....

The _Northern Light_ was being hammered with waves. The crew was having a hard time standing up because the boat would just keep rocking. Working conditions were awful. If it wasn't hard enough having waves crash into the boat, fishing gear was flying across deck making it real hazardous. Will could barley keep his eyes open with the spray of the water. He was working as fast as he could to sort the crab when they hit the table. When the captain came over the loudspeaker that a huge wave was coming he was concentrating so hard on sorting the crab he did hear the warning. The next thing he new was he was flying across the boat with the sorting table going with him. His body went over the side of the boat and everything went black. He never felt the icy cold waters of th Bering Sea envelope his body.

Keith had just called to the crew over the loudspeaker to come off deck when the call for a coast guard chopper come over. He sat quietly and listened when a crewman from the _Northern Light_ had gone over board and wasn't found. Keith sat back in his chair and shook his head. The storm had been horrendous last night and in the back of his mind hoped to god that no one had been hurt. But he had a bad feeling about this one. "Shit." Keith sat there for a minute thanking god that all his crew made it. Then he grabbed for his radio and called Sig on the _Northwestern_.

"Hey Sig, are you there man?" Keith waited a few minutes and then his radio beeped.

"I'm here Keith. Did you guys weather the storm alright?"

"We are fine. But did you hear who went over the side of the _Northern Light_?"

"I haven't heard yet. Let me radio and I'll get back to ya."

"Thanks." Keith leaned his chin on his hand and waited. It was only a few minutes later but it had seemed like forever when his radio finally beeped back.

"Keith are you there still?" Sig said over the radio.

"Still here." Keith bit his lip.

"I've got some bad news. The guy that went over was Will Jackson, Aurora's brother. They never found him."

Keith's stomach clenched. "Oh, shit." He sat there trying to regain his thoughts. Then he radioed Sig back. "Thanks Sig." After hanging up the radio he wondered if he should tell Crosby now or wait a while. Will and Crosby had been best friends for quite some time. Plus, Crosby was dating Aurora, Wills little sister. Crosby was one of his strongest dockhands but he worried about anyone receiving news like that. It effected people different. Keith hated to do it, but he was going to wait until they were done unloading their crab at the crab processor.

Crosby had just gotten into a nice deep sleep when he heard someone say his name and then a hand move his shoulder. He struggled to open his eyes. The last string of pots had kicked his ass. Now was the one time he could get some shut eye and some one bugging him. Well, when his eyes finally pried open, that someone was Captain Keith.

"Come on Crosby. I need to talk to you in the wheelhouse."

Crosby swung his feet to the floor and ran his hands threw his mess of hair. After pulling a shirt over his head, he made his way to the wheelhouse. What in the hell had he done to have been called to the sacred wheelhouse.

"I knew you would want to be sleeping at this time but I wanted to give you a little bit of news." Keith blew out a breath. "During the storm yesterday a man went over board on the _Northern Light_. With the big waves they never could get him back on board. I'm sorry Crosby, but it was Will."

Crosby had to put his hand out on something or he would have fallen over. All he could do was stare out the window at the soft waves going up and doing on the Bering Sea. Dammit. Then Crosby thought of that _feeling_ that Will had. He felt awful that he hadn't believed him. He hadn't wanted to believe him. Then his thoughts went to Aurora. Oh, god. Crosby dropped his head into one of his hands and then wiped his face.

"You going to be ok Crosby?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

Captain Keith watched his deckhand go down the steps. He had faith that Crosby would keep his head on straight do his job. Receiving news like that at _any _time would suck. But Receiving it out in the middle of the Bering Sea was worse.

Crosby walked slowly back to his bunk and dropped his head to his pillow. He would give just about anything to be with Aurora right this minute. He couldn't imagine how hard she would be taking the news about Will. When Crosby went back out on deck he was going to hard for the friend the Bering Sea stole from him. And for Aurora.

"Coming right up!" Aurora shouted over the music playing in the Elbow Room. The place wasn't hopping because most o the guys were out fishing, but there were some guys that still lingered around Dutch, or ships that had just come in. While she was busy behind the bar she hadn't noticed two men come in and was walking around the room.

Krystal, her good friend and second in command so to speak, was wiping down a table when she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

"Ma'am?"

"Yes?" Krystal turned and glanced from one guy to the other. "What can I do for you gentlemen?"

"Is your name Aurora Jackson?"

"No. Aurora is the owner and is tending the bar tonight." Krystal held her breath as the two men walked towards the bar. Krystal had a horrible feeling that something had happened.

Aurora watched as two men approached the bar. What she also noticed was, they didn't take a seat. "Can I get you gentlemen something this evening?"

"No ma'am. You are Aurora Jackson?"

"Yes sir. Owner operator of the Elbow Room." Aurora gave them a welcoming smile.

"We have some news for you ma'am."

Aurora's smile immediately vanished and she dropped the glass full of beer on the floor. The sound of glass breaking put a silent hush over the room as Aurora stood behind the bar stunned. No. Aurora shook her head. Not Will. Not only family she had left. Then she felt an arm go around her shoulder and a head lean against her. Krystal held onto her, since she was there when the two men gave Aurora the news.

"We are sorry for your loss ma'am. Is there anything we can do for you right now?"

Aurora could only slowly shake her head. Her mind went foggy in a dream like state. and she leaned against the counter for support. She shook the cobwebs loose when Krystal finally spoke to her.

"Why don't you go up and lay down. I can take over for you."

Aurora again shook her head. "No. I can work. I want to. Will would want me to."

So, Aurora went about working the rest of the night, doing what came naturally to her. But when the last customer left the Elbow Room, the sound of the door shutting was deafening.

A couple really long weeks later....

Aurora paced back and forth in front of the big window of the Elbow Room. The boats were coming back today to unload gear and supplies. It had been the longest, loneliest two weeks of her life. When her father hadn't come back from a fishing trip she had Will there with her. But there hadn't been anyone she could really cling to. Plenty of people had come by to pay their respects and give condolences to her. Which she was grateful for the people to talk to. But she really wanted Crosby. When she _finally_ watched the boat tie to the dock she threw the door open and ran down the deck. She looked like and idiot running down to the dock with no coat or hat on in the middle of December. But when she spotted Crosby running down the dock the tears started running out of control. She hadn't shed a tear since she had received the news of her brothers death. Crosby braced himself as he watched Aurora running down the docks toward him. When she leapt into his arms he wrapped his arms around her. The tears were flowing down his cheeks as fast they were Aurora's. Aurora couldn't hold Crosby close enough.

"I can't believe he's gone." Those were the only words that Aurora could think of at the moment.

"Me either." Crosby whispered in her ear.

Crosby sat in the chair next to Aurora's couch and watched her sleep. She hadn't slept more than a handful of hours since she heard the news. Crosby held her most of the night. Not many words were spoken, not many needed to be.

A knock at the door brought Crosby out of a haze. He opened the door to see Johnathan Hillstrand standing in the open door. "How's she doing?"

"Not as good as she says. But, you know Aurora. She's not going to admit it's killing her inside."

"Yeah. She's like her old man in that right."

Crosby inched his way towards Johnathan and shut the door behind him quietly. "Let's go down and get something to drink. Aurora's asleep."

Johnathan sat down on a stool at the bar while Crosby got a couple glasses down and ran the tap. "You know your way around pretty well."

"What can I say? Aurora think's I look good as a barmaid." Crosby smiled as he slid the glass to Jon and he leaned up against the counter. "Christ that was a long season."

Johnathan chuckled. "That's no shit. The numbers were great at first and then they seemed to drop off. It ended good crab wise though."

Crosby nodded his head in silent agreement. "You know Will wouldn't want us moping about what happened."

"Yeah I know. It's just hard to believe is all."

Crosby took a long drink from his glass and held it up. "To Will. When the big one hits, we'll know he's the cause of it."

Jon laughed out loud. "You got that right. Here, here." He clinked his glass with Crosby's.

Aurora sat on the edge of the dock with her feet dangling over, almost to the water. In her dreams when she sat on the dock, the _Northern Light_ docked and Will docked with it. It was hard to adjust with Will gone, but slowly she was doing it. If it hadn't been for Crosby and the bunches of friends, she would have gone nuts. Everyone had been supportive and helped with everything. There was a reason that Aurora called everyone family. As the cold winter air brushed her face she felt someone set down next to her. She knew who it was without turning. "Hey Blake."

"Hey babe."

Aurora turned to Blake and smiled. "How's it going?"

"It's going. I just came to say hello and tell you how sorry I was to hear about your brother. He was always one heck of a guy." That was the truth. Even after Aurora and Blake had their blowup, Will never threaten him or knocked out his teeth. He just said that him and Aurora would have to work it out, and he wasn't getting in the middle of a fight. Will was the type that was a friend to everyone. But he was definitely one guy you didn't want to cross.

Aurora turned to Blake and smiled. "Thanks. I was going to call you, but I wanted to talk to you in person instead."

"I appreciate that."

Blake looked out to see a boat chugging across the harbor. "Can ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Can we burry the hatchet between us and put the nasty past behind us. I know I treated you like crap and I'm sorry."

Aurora took a deep breath and let it out. "There is no reason not to. I don't want to have a pissing match every time we bump into each other. I can accept you as a friend. If you don't be nice, I'll sic Crosby on you."

"I'm not worried about Crosby."

"Why?"

"He's not the one that threatened to use my family jewels as crab bait."

Aurora laugh out loud. "That wasn't me was it?"

"Yes it was. At the moment I think you would have done it for sure."

"Yeah. You're probably right. Hey, the past is the past." Aurora was tired of feuding with Blake. Aurora would rather have as many friends as she could. People were lost to easily in this industry.

"Good. Well I have a plane to catch. I'm heading to Seattle for a while before Opie season." Blake got to his feet and helped Aurora get up as well. "Give me a call if you are ever in Seattle."

Aurora nodded. "I will."

Blake gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Hope to see you around. Good luck here in Dutch."

"Stay safe Blake." Blake waved and walked down the dock.

"You are so full of crap Crosby." Aurora shook her head as she dried a clean glass to be put on the shelf. She heard Crosby laugh as he finished telling a story about Will. "But then again, knowing Will, you probably aren't." Besides Aurora, Jon and Crosby were the only people in the Elbow room that afternoon when a man in a suit and tie came in.

"Excuse me? I'm looking for Aurora."

Crosby stood from the stool he was setting on and met the guy. "If you are here to start trouble, then there's the door."

"I'm not here for trouble sir. I'm Will Jackson's attorney and I'm here to speak to his sister Aurora."

"I'm Aurora."

The man raised his hand to Aurora and introduced himself. "My name is Michael Winters. I represent your brother."

Aurora introduced herself again and shook his hand. "What do you need?"

"Not a thing. I am here to go over Will's final papers."

Aurora stared at the man like he had one eye in his forehead. "Final papers? I didn't realize that he had them."

"Yes ma'am." Mr. Winters set his briefcase on the counter. Crosby and Jon sat on his left and right side. He pushed a paper across the counter towards Aurora.

"What is this?" Aurora scanned the paper with little interest.

"That paper states that Will had a million dollar life insurance policy if anything should happen to him while fishing."

"Yeah. All fisherman have them."

"Yes well. That paper states that Will left you as full beneficiary of his policy."

Aurora stood with her mouth gaping at the man. "No way."

"Yes. The money is in a bank in Seattle in your name. You can do with it what you want."

Aurora felt like she needed to sit down. She walked around the bar and sat down at a table. Crosby followed and sat down next to her.

"Also, Will left everything else to you. And I do mean everything. The money that he had in his bank accounts are also in the account in Seattle. The things he had in his house, the house itself, the whole nine yards."

Aurora felt like she was going to throw up. This was something she hadn't expected at all. She never thought of Will that way. What he had was his, and she wanted it that way. But the next thing was what really got her.

"The last thing he requested for me to give to you was this letter." Mr. Winters slid a single non-sealed envelope across the table to Aurora. Her name was simply written across the front. _Aurora._ "He wrote this letter and addressed it to you if anything ever happened."

Aurora stared at the envelope. She glanced over at Crosby who just raised his eyebrows at her. Finally she reached for it and lifted the piece of paper out. Aurora read the note aloud:

_"Hey little sis....If you're reading this that means the big one had my name on it and I didn't make it back. But hey, don't worry about me, I'll say hi to dad for you. Don't you go crying your eyes out for me. It's not like it was the safest job in the world, it was just the one I knew and was the best at._ Aurora immediately began wiping the tears. _Another thing, everything is taken care of. You don't have to worry about a thing. You can take the money and toss it in the Bering Sea, make a bon fire or buy another Plum Crazy Dodge if you want to. I don't care._ This brought laughs out of Jon and Crosby. _Well, you tell that crazy friend of mine Crosby to take care of you and keep you in line when the time come around. It will be a fight but I know he's up to it. Give Jon one last hug for me since I didn't get a chance to. He is a great friend also. Well little sis, I'm running short on time and need to wrap this up. Keep the Elbow Room hopping for me. Stay safe. I love you. Will."_

Aurora dropped the letter on the table and cried her eyes out. Crosby hugged her tight and let her cry. When Aurora stopped crying and blew her nose on a paper towel she folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. She would keep that letter forever. Then Aurora realized the lawyer had disappeared and the Elbow Room was completely silent. Crosby broke the silence.

"Well, the only thing I can say is, at least he didn't donate the money to a Save the Crabs Organization." Leave it to Crosby to make her laugh. Aurora sniffed through another laugh. "What? One time Will joking said he would have the money donated to something completely crazy like that."

It didn't surprise Aurora one bit her brother said something like that. He could weave horse crap into gold.

Aurora made a quick trip back to Seattle before Opie season started so she could finish putting Will's things in order. When she arrived back in Dutch Harbor, she could have kissed the ground. Man they could keep that crowded city life. Instead of going to the Elbow Room she walked to the _Time Bandit_.

"Hey Russ! Is Jon in the wheelhouse?"

"Yeah. Go on up." Russ reached down and helped Aurora on the boat.

"Thanks Russ." Aurora opened the door and then hollered to Jon.

"Enter at your own risk!"

Aurora didn't doubt that for one bit. You never knew when some prank was going to get pulled on a person. Aurora peeked around the corner and seen Jon sitting in the Captain's chair. "Is it safe?"

"Safe as it's going to be."

"Oh yeah. That' safe huh?" Aurora stepped around the corner.

"What's up? How was your trip?"

"You can keep Seattle. That city is nuts. Give me boring Dutch Harbor any old day."

Johnathan laughed. "It takes some getting used to alright." Aurora stepped up to Jon and laid a piece of paper in front of him. "What the hell is this?"

"That paper is the title to Will's_ Harley-Davidson_ motorcycle he had stashed away. It's yours."

Johnathan stared at her. "You aren't serious?"

"Serious as can be. I know if there was one person Will would want to have it, it would be you."

"I don't know what to say. Thanks. This means a lot to me." Aurora shook her head and Jon got up and wrapped Aurora in a huge hug. Jon let go of her and read over the title.

"I just want a ride. That's all I ask."

"You got it."

Aurora opened the door to the Elbow Room. Something wasn't right. The lights were on. She turned to the left and then let out a squeal. "Crosby you shit!" Crosby was sitting on the end of the pool table swinging his legs back and forth.

"Hello to you too."

Aurora shook her head. Her wonderful boyfriend had that shit eating grin on his face. "You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry. I seen you coming and thought I would surprise you. How was your trip?"

"Fine thanks. And you did surprise me." Crosby swung himself off the pool table and over to the stereo system. "What are you up to?" She watch him fiddle with the stereo and hit the play button.

"Whatever song comes on, we dance to." He stood there and waited.

Aurora smiled. She loved it when Crosby done stuff like this. It took her mind of the shitty things in life and reminded herself to have a little fun once in a while. "Ok, I'm game." Aurora wandered over to were Crosby was and waited for the music. Brad Paisley's "Alcohol" came on. Aurora laughed out loud. "I love that song." Being a bar owner, she had heard that song a few times.

"Well then." Crosby grabbed her hand and led her to the middle of the floor. They danced in silence until the song was over. Aurora glanced up at Crosby who wasn't even looking at her, he was looking at something else.

"What?"

"You got the felt fixed on the pool table." Crosby raised one eyebrow at her.

"Yes I had to. Guys were complaining the balls wouldn't shoot straight." Crosby snickered and then laughed out loud. "Hey that felt isn't cheap you know."

"So I see." Crosby glanced around the room, thinking to himself.

"I know you are up to something, so just tell me."

"I was just looking for something that wouldn't be so noticeable and cheap to fix."

Aurora gaped at him. "You are awful you know that."

"That's not what you usually say."

Aurora buried her face in Crosby's chest and just laughed. She looked forward to many more times like this. She silently thanked Will for setting her and Crosby up in the first place. She knew her brother was out there somewhere keeping and eye on her.

_Well, if you made it this far, hopefully this finds that you have read my story. If you have than I thank you very much. People reading makes me want to write more. Thanks again, and don't forget to watch Season 5 of DC!!! Lindsay :-)_


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